3Lmerican  2J>oar&  of  <ffonimtO0io»crsf  for  foreign  a^iOsioite. 


The  Universal  and  Perpetual  Ground  of 

Missionary  Appeal. 

BY 

REV.  JAMES  L.  BARTON,  D.D.,  FOREIGN  SECRETARY. 


A  Paper  from  the  Prudential  Committee,  presented  at  the  Annual  Meeting-  of  the  American 

Board  at  Providence ,  R.  October  4,  iSgg. 


BOSTON 

CONGREGATIONAL  HOUSE 
1899 


i 


THE  UNIVERSAL  AND  PERPETUAL  GROUND  OF  MISSIONARY 

APPEAL* 

BY  REV.  JAMES  L.  BARTON,  D.D.,  FOREIGN  SECRETARY. 

[A  paper  from  the  Prudential  Committee  presented  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Atnerican 

Board  at  Providence ,  October  4,  i8g<p.\ 

The  century  of  modern  Foreign  Protestant  Missionary  effort,  which  is  just  clos¬ 
ing,  is  characterized  by  changes  in  the  basis  of  appeal  which  the  friends  of 
the  cause  are  accustomed  to  make  to  the  supporting  constituency.  The  reasons 
given  why  foreign  missions  should  be  vigorously  maintained  are  so  numerous  and 
varied  and  not  infrequently  exclusive  of  each  other,  that  not  a  few  intelligent  Chris¬ 
tians  are  inquiring  if  there  is  one  true,  fundamental,  perpetual  basis  for  this  work. 
During  this  century  the  pagan  world,  for  whose  Christianization  foreign  missions 
were  inaugurated,  has  been  stripped  of  much  of  the  mystery  that  enveloped  it. 
Pagan  nations  are  no  longer  classed  together  as  wild  and  uncouth  savages,  but 
we  designate  them  separately  as  Chinese,  Hindus,  Japanese,  Buddhists,  Confucian- 
ists,  Mohammedans,  and  a  multitude  of  other  names,  each  one  of  which  conveys 
to  our  mind  a  distinct  impression  of  a  people  or  belief  characterized  by  many 
things  that  are  commendable.  We  no  longer  class  all  non-Christians  together  and 
call  them  “  heathen,”  nor  do  we,  in  a  single  breath  and  unqualifiedly,  condemn 
everything  among  all  peoples  who  are  not  followers  of  our  Christ. 

This  has  led  to  a  change  in  missionary  appeals.  Some  have  thought  it  neces¬ 
sary  to  give  a  different  reason  for  carrying  the  gospel  to  the  artistic,  polite  Jap¬ 
anese,  with  their  systems  of  ethics  and  their  intellectual  ability,  than  they  give  for 
carrying  the  same  gospel  to  the  savage  tribes  of  the  South  Sea  Islands.  Not  only 
have  the  officers  of  mission  boards  been  thus  affected,  but  the  change  is  marked 
throughout  the  constituency. 

Those  who  give  for  the  support  of  this  work,  and  in  some  cases  those  who 
offer  themselves  for  service,  do  so  under  what  might  be  called  the  impulse  of  mixed 
and  inadequate  motives.  A  modern  educational  system  and  an  enlightened  Christian 
civilization  ;  a  desire  to  relieve  the  great  physical  suffering  which  multitudes  endure  ; 
the  moral  elevation  of  the  people  and  the  development  of  high  moral  standards  and 
noble  Christian  characters  ;  the  establishment  of  Christian  institutions  of  all  classes 
which  shall  be  self-perpetuating  and  stable ;  the  creation  of  a  better  and  safer 
society  which  shall  prepare  those  nations  for  statehood  and  develop  among  them  a 
permanent  and  profitable  commerce  with  the  Christian  nations  of  the  world  ;  a 
desire  to  displace  the  non-Christian  religions  by  setting  up  in  their  stead  the  church 
of  Christ.  —  these  are  some,  if  not  the  chief,  reasons  given  at  this  time  for  supporting 
foreign  missions.  These  reasons  have  been  pressed  so  far  that  we  find  our  con¬ 
stituency  dividing  into  different  companies,  some  professing  supreme  confidence  in 
medical  missions,  others  preferring  to  help  industrial  mission  work,  others  in  educa¬ 
tional  enterprises,  others  still  emphasizing  social  reform,  while  many  maintain  that 
evangelistic  work  should  have  the  supreme  place. 

There  can  be  little  question  that  all  of  these  objects  are  commendable,  and  to 
the  student  of  missions  it  must  be  equally  clear,  that  one  in  no  way  excludes  the 
others.  All  are  worthy,  all  are  Christian,  all  are  essential.  But  the  question  does 
arise,  do  we  find  here  the  permanent  and  universal  basis  of  appeal  for  this  world¬ 
wide  and  all-inclusive  work  ?  All  these  are  results  which  we  hope  to  accomplish  and 
they  are  worthy  the  best  Christian  effort  of  the  world  ;  but  no  one  of  them,  nor  all 
combined,  have  the  power  to  set  in  motion  the  united  followers  of  Christ  in  a  per- 


J 


The  Universal  and  Perpetual  Ground  of  Missionary  Appeal.  3 

manent,  persistent,  aggressive  effort  to  evangelize  the  world.  The  results  of  mis¬ 
sionary  effort  do  not  constitute  the  fundamental  impelling  motive  force  that  vitalizes 
the  movement  and  makes  it  glow  with  life  and  throb  with  power. 

Where  then  shall  we  find  the  universal  and  perpetual  ground  and  basis  for  the 
work  of  missions?  We  must  find  them,  if  such  exist  at  all,  in  the  fundamental 
principles  of  our  Christian  faith  which  we  profess  to  accept.  If  we  cannot  find 
them  there,  they  do  not  exist,  and  we  are  free  from  the  obligation  to  conduct 
missionary  work ;  but  if  we  do  find  them  there,  we  must  accept  them  or  deny  our 
faith. 

Let  us  glance  briefly  at  the  missionary  principles  which  underlie  our  Christian 
faith  :  — 

I.  Old  Testametit  Principles.  The  fundamental  principles  of  our  faith,  which 
are  essentially  missionary,  are  taught  throughout  the  Old  Testament,  and,  in  fact, 
constitute  an  integral  part  of  the  Old  Testament  religion.  These  are:  — 

1.  The  Universality  of  the  God  of  Israel.  It  was  a  fundamental  part  of  the 
religion  of  the  Hebrews  that  their  God  was  one  and  that  he  was  supreme.  He  was 
not  only  the  God  of  the  Jews  but  also  of  the  Gentiles,  although  they  did  not  recog¬ 
nize  him.  Only  Jehovah  was  almighty,  benevolent,  and  holy,  able  to  reward  and 
punish  all  the  children  of  men.  The  plain  teaching  was  that  the  God  of  Israel  was 
the  God  of  the  whole  earth  and  of  all  peoples,  and  not  simply  the  God  of  those  who 
recognized  and  worshiped  him.  This  point  is  so  clear  that  it  needs  only  to  be  stated. 

2.  The  second  missionary  principle  in  the  Old  Testament  religion  is  that  sacri- 
fice  is  essential  in  every  true  worshiper.  Any  adequate  discussion  of  this  subject  is 
impossible  here.  The  fact  must  be  noted  that  from  the  beginning  an  offering,  some¬ 
thing  given  up  to  God,  seemed  to  be  demanded  with  every  act  of  worship.  Cain 
and  Abel  brought  their  gifts  when  they  would  draw  near  to  God.  This  matter  of 
offerings  was  not  left  to  the  feelings  or  sentiment  of  the  worshipers,  but  the  regula¬ 
tions  that  should  govern  the  different  offerings,  as  to  their  amount  and  frequency, 
were  definitely  laid  down  by  Jehovah.  Every  faithful  and  devout  Israelite  must 
pay  liberally  of  time  and  treasure  in  order  to  maintain  his  position  before  the  Lord. 
The  amounts  of  the  different  sacrifices  and  offerings  were  gradually  increased  until 
much  more  than  one-tenth  of  the  income  of  the  worshiper  had  to  be  given  as  an 
offering  to  the  Lord.  We  cannot  conceive  of  the  Hebrews  as  in  any  way  maintain¬ 
ing  their  position  in  their  relations  to  God  or  to  their  principles,  while  refusing  to 
offer  the  prescribed  sacrifices.  The  worst  afflictions  which  ever  came  to  the  race 
were  brought  upon  them,  according  to  the  burning  words  of  the  prophets,  by  their 
withholding  from  the  Lord  their  tithes  and  offerings.  Sacrifice  was  a  part  of  their 
religion,  an  essential  part  of  their  creed  and  worship ;  it  was  to  them  a  sacrament. 
Apart  from  the  special  extra  gifts  in  the  interests  of  a  forward  movement,  as,  for 
instance,  for  the  setting  up  of  the  tabernacle  and  the  building  or  rebuilding  of  the 
temple,  nearly  everything  thus  given  to  God  by  the  faithful  worshipers  was,  to  human 
appearances,  thrown  away  —  wasted.  A  great  army  of  men  was  maintained  to 
slaughter  the  choicest  of  the  flocks  and  herds  and  to  restore  order  after  the  work 
had  been  done.  No  human  being  was  directly  benefited  by  the  act,  and  we  cannot 
conceive  that  Jehovah  himself  took  pleasure  in  the  blood  of  sheep  and  goats  that 
flowed  in  such  an  overwhelming  current  or  in  the  clouds  of  smoke  that  rose  from  her 
reeking  altars  during  the  golden  days  of  Israel’s  history.  We  cannot  believe  that 
God  demanded  these  costly  gifts  for  himself,  but  as  a  source,  and  perhaps  the  only 
source,  certainly  the  only  one  revealed,  of  a  divine  blessing  upon  the  one  presenting 
the  offering.  Only  the  giver  was  benefited.  Only  he  who  was  ready  and  willing  to 


4 


The  Universal  a?id  Perpetual  Ground  of  Missionary  Appeal. 


obey  the  divine  command  found  acceptance  or  forgiveness  with  the  Lord.  He 
who  worshiped,  offering  gifts  commensurate  with  his  condition  in  life,  went  away 
justified,  for  God  met  him. 

3.  The  third  essential  missionary  point  in  the  religion  of  Israel  was  that 
through  that  race  blessing  was  to  come  to  the  entire  world.  It  must  be  acknowledged 
that,  as  a  race,  the  children  of  Israel  did  not  grasp  this  thought.  The  prophets 
often  caught  glimpses  of  the  truth,  and  yet  they  were  not  able  to  arouse  the  race  to 
its  full  comprehension.  However,  the  principle  was  repeatedly  taught,  from  the 
early  dawn  of  that  peculiar  people  until  the  close  of  the  prophetic  period,  that  out 
from  the  seed  of  Abraham  there  should  go  forth  a  blessing  to  all  nations ;  for  did 
not  Jehovah  say  to  Abraham,  “In  thee  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.” 
Again  the  Lord  repeated,  “  All  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him 
(Abraham);”  and  so  again  and  again  is  that  promise  and  pledge  repeated,  that 
through  the  seed  of  Abraham  a  movement  filled  with  blessing  is  destined  to  reach 
forth  to  all  nations.  It  was  the  foundation  pledge  and  everlasting  covenant  of  the 
race.  After  leaving  Egypt,  Jehovah  says,  “  If  ye  will  obey  my  voice  indeed  and 
keep  my  covenant,  then  ye  shall  be  a  peculiar  treasure  with  me  from  among  all 
peoples ;  for  all  the  earth  is  mine,  and  ye  shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom  of  priests 
and  an  holy  nation.” 

Then  as  we  follow  the  records,  we  read  that  “  A  star  shall  come  forth  out  of 
Jacob,  and  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel,”  showing  that  a  world  victory  is  in 
preparation.  The  Psalmist  catches  glimpses  of  the  future  conquests  through  the 
chosen  race,  when  he  says,  “  I  will  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession;  ”  “  I  will  make  thy  name  to  be 
remembered  in  all  generations;  ”  “  He  shall  have  dominion  also  from  sea  to  sea  and 
from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  they  that  dwell  in  the  wilderness  shall 
bow  before  him  ;  yea,  all  kings  shall  fall  down  before  him,  all  nations  shall  serve  him.” 

The  Prophet  Isaiah  in  his  inspired  vision  saw  that  time  when  “  the  mountain  of 
the  Lord’s  house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains  and  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills;  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it;  ”  “  Of  the  increase  of  his 
government  and  of  peace  there  shall  be  no  end.”  “  The  earth  shall  be  full  of  the 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.”  “  All  the  ends  of  the  earth 
shall  see  the  salvation  of  our  God.” 

Daniel  in  his  vision  of  the  Son  of  Man  saw  and  wrote,  “  And  there  was  given 
him  dominion  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  the  peoples,  nations  and  languages 
shall  serve  him.” 

In  line  with  all  this  is  the  announcement  made  to  Mary  by  the  angel  Gabriel, 
“  He  shall  be  great  and  shall  be  called  the  son  of  the  Most  High  ;  .  .  .  and  he  shall 
reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  forever;  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end.” 
This  is  the  covenant  with  Abraham,  sung  by  the  Psalmists,  proclaimed  by  the 
Prophets,  carried  over  and  connected  with  Christ  himself,  as  the  one  who  is  to  exe¬ 
cute  the  Divine  will  in  carrying  this  blessing  to  the  world. 

Let  us  now  trace  these  fundamentals  of  our  faith  as  they  reach  over  into  the  New 
Testament. 

II.  The  Corresponding  New  Testament  Principles.  Christ  neither  in  his 
teaching  nor  by  his  example  changed  these  three  basal  principles  of  the  faith  and 
practice  of  Israel,  but  he  gathered  them  up  and  put  them  into  operation  for  uplifting 
and  saving  the  world. 

1.  Under  his  teachings  the  universal,  almighty  and  holy  Jehovah  of  the  He¬ 
brews  was  transformed  into  the  loving  and  common  father  of  all  men,  assembling 
the  nations  into  one  great  and  common  brotherhood.  The  Jews  did  not  carry  out 


The  Universal  and  Perpetual  Ground  of  Missionary  Appeal. 


5 


their  idea  of  a  universal  God  to  this  practical  conclusion.  Christ  must  come  and 
show  by  his  life  and  teachings  that  Jehovah  was  not  the  God  of  the  Jews  only,  but  of 
all  men  and  all  nations,  and  that  he  is  not  only  supreme  and  holy  but  that  he  is  the 
compassionate  one  who  loves  all  his  children  and  who  desires  that  every  branch  of  the 
human  race  be  numbered  as  members  of  his  family.  This  is  the  first  and  necessary 
step  in  the  developing  of  the  underlying  theology  of  the  Old  Testament  so  that  there 
shall  stand  out  in  clearest  light  the  practical  living  principles  of  our  Christian  faith, 
the  common  fatherhood  of  God  and  the  consequent  possible  brotherhood  of  man. 
To  prove  this  point  we  need  make  no  citations  from  the  teachings  of  our  Lord.  It 
must  be  equally  clear  that  this  is  only  the  flower  and  fruit  of  the  other  doctrine  that 
Jehovah  is  the  God  of  the  whole  earth. 

•  2.  Our  Lord  took  also  the  doctrine  of  sacrifice  and,  in  no  less  striking  manner, 

made  it  a  living  and  practical  doctrine  for  the  extension  of  the  Kingdom.  While 
the  Old  Testament  idea  of  burnt-offering  and  sacrifice  was  not  perpetuated  by  Christ 
in  its  old  form,  it  was  transformed,  ennobled  and  perfected  by  him.  He  himself 
came  as  the  supreme  offering  for  sin,  made  once  for  all.  The  new  system  which  he 
developed  out  of  the  old  does  not  call  for  the  expenditure  of  one's  precious  posses¬ 
sions  without  some  tangible,  external  result  aimed  at  in  the  gift ;  but  he  in  no  way 
releases  his  followers  from  the  idea  of  sacrifice.  He  gave  everything  that  he  pos¬ 
sessed,  even  his  life,  not  to  appease  a  God  angry  with  him,  but  in  order  to  bring 
blessing  and  salvation  to  a  world  lost  in  sin.  The  sacrifice  of  his  time  and  strength 
and  personal  pleasures,  and  life  itself,  was  that  others  might  be  blessed.  He  was 
seeking  nothing  for  himself.  He  came  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father  and  to  be  about 
his  Father’s  business,  and  that  will  and  that  business  was  and  had  always  been,  that 
“  through  the  seed  of  Abraham  all  nations  should  be  blessed.”  A  fundamental  idea 
of  sacrifice  in  our  Lord,  and  of  the  sacrifice  which  he  demanded  of  his  disciples, 
was  not  primarily  that  the  one  who  offered  it  should  receive  a  blessing,  but  that  in 
the  offering  somebody  else,  —  others,  might  be  blessed.  Offerings  were  not  wasted 
but  transformed ;  latent  energy  was  transmuted  into  living  potency  for  lifting  up  and 
saving  the  world. 

Sacrifice  was  as  much  a  part  of  the  religion  and  worship  of  Christ  as  it  was 
of  the  religion  and  worship  of  the  chosen  race.  But  it  is  not  burnt-offering  that  is 
demanded,  but  a  living,  active  sacrifice  that  reaches  out  to  the  world.  This  is  not 
taught  so  much  by  any  particular  recorded  words  of  Christ  as  by  his  whole  life  and 
the  Spirit  of  all  his  teachings.  He  began  by  giving  everything  he  possessed,  and 
by  demanding  of  his  disciples  that  they  dedicate  everything  to  him.  His  call  to 
discipleship  was,  “  Follow  me  labor,  sacrifice,  do  as  I  am  doing  that  the  world 
may  be  saved.  There  is  no  part  of  the  life  of  our  Lord  that  does  not  glow  with  this 
idea  of  sacrifice  and  service  for  others  as  the  most  perfect  indication  of  devotion  to 
the  Father’s  will,  and  at  the  same  time  exhibiting  the  most  perfect  method  for  carry¬ 
ing  infinite  blessing  to  him  who  believes,  as  well  as  to  the  world. 

3.  Our  Lord  was  the  complete  fulfillment  of  the  idea  so  fully  set  forth  in  the 
Old  Testament,  that  through  the  chosen  race  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be 
blessed ;  for  in  him  the  principle  became  an  article  of  living  faith  which  was 
wrought  into  the  lives  and  practices  of  his  followers.  The  Jews,  as  a  nation,  had 
no  thought  of  making  special  effort  to  bless  the  Gentiles  through  their  religion  or  their 
lives.  They  treasured  up  the  promises  of  Jehovah,  the  sweet  words  of  the  Psalmist, 
and  the  burning  declarations  of  the  prophets,  and  then  went  on  living  as  if  Jehovah 
were  their  God  alone  and  the  world  existed  only  for  themselves.  Christ  came  to 
change  all  this — To  inaugurate  a  movement  whose  charter  is  the  final  command, 
“  Go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,  teaching  them  to 


6  The  Universal  and  Perpetual  Ground  of  Missionary  Appeal. 

observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  commanded  you.”  The  idea  and  plan  here  outlined 
was  not  a  new  one  in  the  conception  of  the  Kingdom  ;  it  was  as  old  as  Abraham. 
Christ  was  only  carrying  out  the  will  of  his  Father  in  this  enunciation  and  develop¬ 
ment  of  a  fundamental  principal  of  the  Kingdom.  He  had  no  choice  but  to  take 
this  position  and  to  put  the  obligation  upon  his  disciples,  for  did  he  not  come  to  do 
“not  his  own  will  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  him?”  The  life  and  the  teachings 
of  our  Lord  dwell  more  upon  this  principle  of  the  expansion  of  the  Kingdom  and 
the  duty  of  every  follower  to  preach  Christ  to  all  who  do  not  know  him  than  upon 
any  other  principle  of  our  Christian  faith.  The  four  gospels  abound  with  and  are 
crowned  with  the  conception  of  a  gospel  for  the  world  and  the  duty  of  all  who  ac¬ 
cept  it  to  carry  it  to  those  who  have  it  not.  The  book  of  the  Acts  is  the  record  of 
the  endeavors  of  the  Apostles  to  live  the  Christian  missionary  life  as  they  had 
learned  it  from  their  Lord.  The  Epistles  are  replete  with  the  same  fundamental 
idea,  they  themselves  the  product  of  the  missionary  efforts  of  the  disciples.  Even 
the  Apocalypse  breaks  forth  into  the  command,  “  Let  him  that  heareth  say  come.” 
Remove  from  our  New  Testament  and  from  our  Christian  doctrine  the  conception 
that  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  all  nations  shall  hear  of  him  and  receive  salvation 
through  Christ,  and  we  should  have  emasculated  Gospels,  no  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
and  few  if  any  of  the  Epistles.  The  missionary  idea  gave  us  our  New  Testament 
if  not  our  entire  Bible. 

There  is  little  recorded  that  was  uttered  directly  by  Christ  upon  such  subjects 
as  original  sin,  retribution,  escatology,  the  sacraments,  the  trinity,  atonement,  inspira¬ 
tion.  These  doctrines  have  lent  themselves  to  controversial  discussions  to  such  an 
extent  that  schools  of  theology  have  divided  and  sub-divided  upon  each  of  them,  and 
we  shall  probably  go  on  discussing  and  dividing  to  the  end  of  time.  But  upon  the 
subject  of  the  obligatioii  of  Christians  to  carry  the  gospel  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  there  is  no  ambiguity ;  there  seems  no  room  for  divergence  of  opinion.  Over 
and  over  again  is  this  matter  dwelt  upon  by  Christ  himself  and  by  the  Apostles.  It 
is  reiterated  more  than  any  other  Christian  doctrine,  and  manifestly  made  a  deeper 
impression  upon  the  disciples  than  any  other  command  which  Christ  laid  upon  them. 
The  strongest  imperatives  used  by  our  Lord  were  employed  when  he  was  trying  to 
impress  upon  his  followers  their  duties  in  this  matter.  “Follow  me,”  “Feed  my 
sheep,”  “  Go,”  “  Disciple,”  “  Teach,”  “  Preach  the  Word  ;  ”  these  imperatives  cannot 
be  misunderstood  or  misinterpreted.  There  may  be  disagreement  as  to  the  nature 
of  the  gospel  to  be  preached  and  the  manner  of  preaching  it,  but  it  is  clear  beyond 
dispute  that  whoever  has  received  any  gospel  is  commanded  to  preach  it  to  those 
who  have  none.  We  cannot  escape  the  conclusion  that  Christianity  is  primarily  a 
missionary  religion,  inaugurated  as  such  by  Jehovah,  intensified  and  glorified  by 
Christ,  transmitted  and  exemplified  by  the  Apostles,  and  that  as  such  this  religion  in 
these  last  days  is  our  inheritance,  privilege,  and  glory. 

III.  Practical  considerations.  What  bearing  have  these  considerations  upon  our 
missionary  work  and  the  universal  and  perpetual  ground  of  appeals  which  we  make  ? 
We  who  profess  to  be  Christian,  if  honest  in  our  profession,  must  live  and  act 
in  accordance  with  the  fundamental  and  authoritative  principles  of  our  faith  as 
revealed  in  our  sacred  records.  These  principles  are  as  enumerated  :  — 

1.  Fatherhood  of  God  and  consequent  brotherhood  of  man. 

2.  The  necessity  of  personal  sacrifice  for  others. 

3.  The  duty  of  preaching  Christ’s  gospel  to  the  world. 

In  the  consideration  of  these  questions  there  is  but  little  opportunity  for  the 
exercise  of  personal  judgment  or  opinions.  Each  one  is  based,  not  upon  what  we 


The  Universal  and  Perpetual  Ground  of  Missionary  Appeal .  7 

may  think,  but  upon  eternal  facts  and  upon  the  will  of  the  Father.  It  is  not  a  plan 
devised  by  man  or  by  a  council  of  men,  nor  has  it  even  been  submitted  to  men  for 
their  approval  or  ratification.  The  children  of  Israel  were  not  told  to  offer  sacrifice 
when  they  wished  to  do  so,  or  if  they  felt  so  inclined  ;  nor  did  Christ  tell  his  disciples 
to  preach  his  gospel  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  if  they  should  decide  that  it  is  wise, 
prudent,  and  necessary  so  to  do.  We  have  no  authority  to  debate  the  wisdom  or 
the  unwisdom  of  sacrifice  in  behalf  of  others  any  more  than  we  have  the  right  to 
discuss  whether  our  Lord  did  not  make  a  mistake  when  he  commanded  his  disciples 
to  devote  themselves  to  a  world-wide  missionary  undertaking. 

Enthusiasm  for  a  good  cause,  whose  usefulness  has  been  demonstrated,  and 
whose  success  seems  assured,  will  stir  many  a  life  and  lead  to  impulsive  acts  of  won¬ 
derful  and  heroic  sacrifice;  but  enthusiasm  is  not  enduring,  and  when  it  dies,  the  arm 
which  it  energized  no  longer  serves. 

Sympathy  for  a  pagan  race  which  seems  to  have  within  it  special  possibilities  of 
growth  and  progress,  may  warm  the  heart  and  inspire  the  efforts  of  a  multitude  who 
feel  the  throb  of  Christian  brotherhood  as  they  think  of  one  common  Father.  Under 
this  impulse  consecrated  men  and  women  give  their  lives  and  others  give  support  that 
a  race  may  be  civilized.  But  a  little  disappointment,  a  few  acts  of  ingratitude  upon 
the  part  of  that  race,  may  turn  sympathy  into  indifference,  and  indifference  into  con¬ 
demnation,  and  the  race  is  left  to  its  paganism. 

A  belief  in  the  eternal  loss  of  all  who  die  unrepentant,  is  a  power  sufficient  to 
gather  a  mighty  army  of  devout,  able  men  and  women  who  have  gone  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth  to  preach  repentance  and  salvation  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  In  face 
of  such  a  conviction  no  obstacles  seemed  too  great,  no  task  too  heavy  to  be  under¬ 
taken.  None  have  labored  more  devoutly  than  those  who  have  gone  forth  under  this 
impulse,  and  none  have  given  more  freely  than  those  who  have  sent  them.  But  if 
this  be  the  main,  underlying  motive  for  missionary  activity  in  any  person,  then  that 
activity  will  vary  in  intensity  with  his  sense  of  the  sinner’s  peril,  and  should  he  come 
to  doubt  whether  there  is  such  peril,  his  missionary  interest  will  slacken  if  not 
altogether  cease. 

Love  has  led,  in  all  the  history  of  the  world,  to  deepest  sacrifice  and  inspired  to 
acts  of  exalted  nobleness.  Who  can  measure  the  power  of  human  love?  No  sac¬ 
rifice  is  too  great  for  it  to  make  for  the  object  of  its  affection ;  no  task  too  heavy  for 
it  to  undertake.  Nothing  can  successfully  resist  him  who  moves  by  its  impulse. 
Under  the  inspiration  of  its  presence,  the  human  can  rise  almost  into  the  atmosphere 
of  the  Divine.  Yet  human  love  is  not  enduring.  Its  throne  is  the  human  heart 
which  is  of  the  earth,  earthy.  Passion  may  rend,  ambition  blind,  and  human  sinful¬ 
ness  corrupt,  until  its  noble  impulse  dies  entombed  within  a  heart  grown  cold.  A 
work  for  the  world  based  upon  this  alone,  whether  it  be  a  love  for  Christ  or  love  for 
fellowmen,  cannot  be  enduring  until  our  human  love  becomes  as  unchanging  as  the 
Divine. 

Our  perpetual,  permanent  and  universal  impulse  for  this  work  comes  not  from 
our  hearts,  not  from  our  heads,  not  from  the  world, — -for  the  heart  grows  faint,  the 
head  weary,  and  the  world  passeth  away.  We  must  look  to  the  Divine  will  which  is 
interpreted  to  us  by  the  Divine  imperatives  in  the  mouth  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
Generations  may  come  and  go,  human  passions,  prejudices,  selfish  ambitions  put 
their  stamp  upon  society,  theological  opinions  and  expressions  may  change  with  the 
changing  centuries,  but  the  will  of  our  God  abides  forever.  It  is  not  ambiguous  in 
its  utterance,  nor  can  it  be  misunderstood  in  its  commands.  Nothing  can  reach  it 
to  destroy  its  force  and  power.  It  is  the  voice  which  has  rung  in  command  through 


8  The  Universal  and  Perpetual  Ground  of  Missionary  Appeal. 

all  the  history  of  our  religion,  and  that  found  its  fullest  utterance  on  the  mount,  as 
the  earth  shrunk  away  from  His  sanctified  presence.  It  is  addressed  to  every  pro¬ 
fessed  follower  of  the  Nazarene,  saying,  “  Preach  this,  my  Gospel,  to  every  one  who 
does  not  acknowledge  me  as  Lord  and  King.”  Though  we  hide  ourselves  in  our 
scholarship,  the  voice  is  there ;  though  we  take  the  wings  of  our  personal  pleasures 
and  go  to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  behold  it  is  there.  Nothing  but  implicit 
obedience  can  put  God’s  seal  upon  our  discipleship. 

We  cannot  conceive  of  Christianity  apart  from  the  idea  of  expansion,  —  not  en¬ 
largement  according  to  the  will  and  judgment  of  the  believer,  but  expansion  by  the 
will  and  under  the  order  of  Almighty  God.  In  this  lies  the  secret  of  the  external 
growth  of  our  faith  during  the  last  eighteen  centuries,  while  without  it,  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  the  love  of  Christ,  the  presence  of  Christ  with  his  people  would  speedily 
cease.  The  Divine  imperative  which  commands  all  Christians  to  evangelize  all  men, 
is  the  eternal,  life-giving  imperative  for  all  lands  and  for  all  time. 

What  then  shall  be,  must  be,  the  ground  of  our  appeal?  Not  education,  not 
civilization,  not  humanity  to  man,  not  sociological  reform,  not  merely  a  desire  to 
ennoble  and  exalt  our  fellow-men,  but  obedience  to  the  eternal  principles  of  our  faith 
as  uttered  by  our  blessed  Lord  himself,  and  taught  by  his  apostles.  Our  appeal  is 
not  an  appeal  for  money,  but  for  loyalty  to  Jesus  Christ.  The  first  step  in  conver¬ 
sion  is  obedience  to  Christ,  which  is  also  the  last  step  in  the  completed,  sanctified 
Christian  life.  By  this  the  power  and  inspiration  of  the  Christ  life  will  flow  in  upon 
the  believer  and  through  him  will  carry  beauty,  blessing  and  life  to  the  world.  The 
gospel  thus  sent  out  will  become  the  gospel  of  education,  of  civilization,  of  social 
reform,  of  salvation,  of  everything  that  is  exalting  to  the  individual  and  to  nations. 
This  is  the  only  force  that  in  the  name  of  a  living  Christ  can  send  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  and  maintain  it  there,  the  army  of  the  living  God. 

Why  should  we,  corporate  members,  missionaries,  honorary  members,  pastors, 
and  Christians,  come  together  here  and  spend  an  hour  of  the  sessions  of  this  meet¬ 
ing,  or  of  any  other  meeting,  in  discussing  how  to  appeal  to  our  constituency ;  how 
to  raise  money  to  carry  on  the  Lord’s  work  ?  Why,  the  rather,  do  we  not  seek  first 
for  our  own  reconsecration  to  the  service  of  that  Master  whom  we  love  and  whom 
we  profess  before  men  to  serve  ?  Why  should  there  not  go  forth  annually  from  the 
meetings  of  this  Board,  as  well  as  from  the  meetings  of  all  similar  boards,  to  the 
remotest  mission  church  in  the  most  isolated  island  on  this  earth,  an  irresistible  in¬ 
spiration  for  a  more  devoted  and  obedient  service  to  him  who  gave  his  all  that  the 
world  might  be  redeemed.  Balance  sheets  are  necessary  accompaniments  of  that 
work,  but  they  are  not  the  source  of  our  inspiration  and  they  contain  not  one  atom 
of  power.  If  we  could  only  get  so  near  to  the  side  of  our  Commander  that  we  could 
catch  the  gleam  of  his  eye  as  he  looks  forth  upon  a  world  not  yet  in  receipt  of  the 
salvation  which  he  came  to  bring  to  it  nineteen  hundred  years  ago ;  if  we  could  feel 
the  throb  of  that  heart  which  beats  in  human  and  divine  sympathy  for  the  multitudes 
who  are  wandering  in  the  deserts  as  sheep  that  have  no  shepherd,  and  if  we  could 
catch  the  tender  tones  of  that  voice  which  speaks  with  loving  yet  irresistible  authority, 
“  Go,  preach  my  gospel  to  every  creature,”  would  we  count  as  anything  our  posses¬ 
sions,  our  comfort,  or  even  our  lives  ? 

It  is  of  little  importance  to  the  great  world  whether  or  not  the  Board  closes  this 
year  without  a  deficit ;  it  is  of  transcendent  importance  whether  or  not  we,  the  con¬ 
stituency  of  this  Board,  the  membership  in  our  Congregational  churches,  are  ready  to 
hear  and  accept  in  loving  obedience  the  perpetual  and  universal  imperative  of  our 
Lord  and  Master,  “  Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,’  and 
then,  “  Go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  my  gospel  to  every  creature.” 


